Food-chopper.



H. P. BALL.

FOD CHPPER.

Awmimmon HLEo MAY 5. m4.

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nimma Mm. 20, 1917,

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f MmesmesJf-z HENRY PRICE BALL, F PITTSFIELD, MASSACIUSETTS.

FOOD-CHOPPER..

Specicton of Letters Patent.

1` rtentcd Mar. 20, 191,7.

Application led May 5, 1914. Serial No. 836,4( 3.

iduee the number of loose parts to the minimum; second, to provide for the interchange of .y cutters of different sizes without detached parts; third, to make the chopper self-cleaning so that all of the food will be discharged from the forcer into the cutter; ,and fourth, to render the device suitable for luse upon materials containing a great deal ofA liquid. These and further objects will `more fully appeal' from the following speelfication and accompanying drawings, considered together or separately.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a food chopper embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, the'hopper and a portion of the body being in section;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3- 3 of Figs. 1 and 2;

` Fig. 4 is a' sectional view of the body with the forcer removed;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the device;

Fig. 6 is a front View of the discharge end of the forcer; and

Fig. 7 is a side view of the same.

In all of the views, like parts are designated by the same reference characters.

The device primarily comprises three parts, the body 1, the forcer 9, and the cutter 16. The body aml torcer while each is made of several elements, are so connected` together that they 'cannot be separated in use and thereforeno parts can be lost.

The body 1 comprises a barrel portion 2 with a cylindrical opening extending entirely through it. Above the barrel is a hopper 3 for admitting food. The barrel is supported in proper position by means of a bracket 4. This bracket has attached to it the clamp 5 so that it may be applied to a table or other suitable support. Within the 4cylindrical opening of the barrel are forcing threads 6. These are spirally arranged, as

shown. rThey ex;end from the. inlet end a, to the outlet end of the barrel. Within the first .and second threads ol. the inlet end are limber holes i'. In advance of the first threads is a spout 8. More limber holes may be made i'l necessary.

The forcer E) is actuated by means of a crank 12. The forcer is provided with a long thread 1l and a short thread 12. The long thread extends substantially through the entire length of the forcer. The short thread 1i. extends from about the discharge vend of the hoppen to the discharge end ot' the forcer. These tireads are shown of uniform pitch throughout (this, however, is not essential) and they are the same diameter as the opening in tl ic barrel 2. letween these threads 11 and 412 are two internnaliate threads 13 somewhat shorter than the thread 12. These inter nediate threads 155 are of gradually increasing height (greater dialneter) from the po ut of their inception to the discharge end of the forcer. The outer edge of each intermediate thread 1? from the beginning to within a short distance of the discllarge end of tht forcer is sharp. The front edge of the shot thread 1Q is also sharp. All ofthese thru ads'mljaccut the discharge end of the forcer havtl a straight portion l-lparallel to the ixis o1 the forcer. These produce straight portions 15 in the groovesbetween the thleads. The discharge portions of the grof ves are substantially parallel to the axis of the forcer. llach groove at the straight portion has a short edge and a long edge as sloujn, alld I prefer to make the long edge at least as longr as thev width of the groove. so as to form a firm support for the food wbii'b is forced against the eut`H ter, and also to make the path ol" the food perpendicular t( the plane of cutters.

The. cutter 1li is t'ormed preferably ol one piece of metal. and of a plurality of integral cutting members, each having a group of cutting openings 17. The cutting Volienings in each membc are of'ditlerent sizes, .as shown. In tbe. (mbmliment chosen for illus tration, the' cutters have three, six and twelve opening:` resl'iectively. l prefer to make. the. cutters of sheet steel of uniforl'n thickness throughout. 'lhc cutter member with twelve cutting edges is shown in .the operative position. The material forced through each groove in the forcer will, be choppedV twelve times for each revolution of the forcer. These cutters are grouped about an imaginary center at substantially 1 2()O apart. vitliin each group ot cutting` openings is a central opening 1S. This central opening engages with the end ot' the torcer and locks the cutter in place. Thecutters are foi-ined with side notches 1S). 0n the bod'v are brackets 2t). ln each bracket is a headed bolt 2l. Two ol the brackets are arranged one on each side of the cutter: the tliii'd bracket is below the same. 'llie cutter may be introduced in place by sliding it vertically back ot the beaded parts ol' the bolts. rl`he t'orcer is introduced in place in the body with its cutting end within the central opening 1S of that cutter which hasI shown in Fig. 7, so that an increased cut ting surface is produced and a shearing eut is obtained. The cone shaped end makes theft'oreer and the cutter to at all times hug each other tight.. irrespective of the wabble fit the forcer may have in' the body, especially when worn from use.

. -For the. purpose of holding the forcer in place and detaehably and adjustably engaging it with the. cutter. the following deviees are employed:

A bearing rimT surrounds one end of the forcer and engages with a flange 23 thereon. A lock or presser lever-24 has a forked upper end which engages with the bearing. ring on each side. of the center of the torcer at diametrically opposite joints. This presser lever carries a screw 25 which presses against'the bracket 4 and this screw has a scalloped edged head 2G so that it may be rotated and the pressure between the forcer and the cutter adjusted. The presser lever is held in place by means of a headed fulcrum pin QT'carried by the bracket 4. This pin passes through a slot 28 in the presser'lever. By turning the head QG the. pressure upon the bearing ring Q2 may he adjusted and consequently the' pressure between thedischarge end of the forcer and the cutter may be adjusted as desired. By rotating the, head 26 the screw 25 may be disengaged troni contact with the bracket 4. The presser lever can then be moved downward until the forked upper ends cease to engage with the .bearing ring 22. The forcer may then be reinoved from thevbody. lf it is desired to change thecutting members. the -l'orccr must first be at least. partly withdrawn so as to disengage its end from the central opening 1H of the cutter; there- 4upon the three unitary cutting members are vided with a pin 3U which engages with one' ol' the l'orlts ol' the presser lever 24.

rl`he operation is as follows:

'l`hc parts are assembled as shown in I `igs. l. 2 and I. 'l`he food is introduced into the hopper ii. 'l`he screw25 is adjusted to ellg'age the end of the forcer with the cutter with the desired pressure. l'pon rotation ot' the crank the lood is first t'orced toward the cutter by the action of the long thread ll and forcing threads t'. .\n v undesirable excess olE liquid in the food will be' pressed out and pass through the spout S. The triangular space in advance ofthe rst thread 11. best showniirlfig. Jr. is utilized to eol- /lect the juices preliminaiw to its ejection through the spoilt. A\ny juice which may be trapped in advance ot' the first thread will enter this triangular space by means of the liniber holes T. The food will be forced forward b v means 'of the long thread 11 and short thread 12 until it cornes into contact-with the sharpened ends of the short threads 13, whereupon it will become bifurcated and each stream will enter the groove on each side of the short thread, and the four streams o't' food will be forced-through the openingsin the cutter. Before they reach the cutter the direction of flow of the streams ot' food will be changed from a4 eircular spiral path to a straight path parallel to the axis of rotation of the forcer. 'l`he point otl alteration in the path of How t'rom the spiral to the straight direction, will be far enough in advance of the cutter so that the long straight side of eaeh groove -will serve as a backing for the stream of food in each groove and hold it inthe best position to be acted upon bythe cutter.

The parts 'i'naybe separated for cleaning or t'or adjustment of the separate cutter members as previously described. One advantage of having the cutting take place between the't'orcer and the cutters is vthat when dulled or worn, new sharp ones may lie silbstituted without getting a new body. It is to' be understood that the parts illustrated are for the purpose of'showiug the principles of the invent-ion only. The number of threads` in the forcer and their pitch may be varied from that shown. Certain features, of the invention will be attained by menus of a cutter having more or less cutting members than thatshown and the proportions and shapes of the pieces may be varied with out departingfroin the spirit of the invensqueeze the juices of oranges andy other fruit. While it will not remove the juice of meats which should have the juice remain in the meat, on'the other hand it draws olf enough of the water from cabbage and tomatoes to permit them to be chopped and prevent clogging. This feature of the invention also prevents liquid running out the back` of the chopper and down on the floor as is often experienced with certain types on the market.

Having described my invention', what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A cutter for a `food chopper, having a plurality of conical cutting surfaces radially disposed around a common center.

2. A cutter for a food chopper, having a number of perforated conical cutting surfaces radial y disposed around a common center.

3. A cutter for a food chopper, having a number ol circular. groups of perforations radially disposed around a common center.

el. A cutter for a food chopper, having a number of circular groups of perforations radially dis osed around a common center, each group iaving 'i'n'ilferent size perforation.

5. A cutter for a food chopper, made in one piece and of uniform thickness, having a plurality of separate groups of cutting elements. .I

6. A cutter for a food chopper, formed of one piece of sheet metal, having several groups of cutting perforations radially disposed around a common center.

7 A cutter for a food chopper, made in one piece and having several conical cutting elements, and means for selecting one element at a time to chop with.

8. A cutter for a food chopper', having several conical cutting elements, radially disposed around va common center, and means for selecting one element at a time to chop with.

9. Acutter for a food chopper, having several integral, conical members all connected by a. common plane, each member having a. group of cutteropenings, said openings eing diagonal to .the plane.

10. A cutter for a food chopper, having several integral members, each of which has a group of cutter openings of different sizes.

11. A cutter for a food chopper, having several integral members radially disposed around a common center, each member having a group of cutter openings of different sizes.

12. ,A cutter for a food chopper, having a plurality of sets of cutter openings of different sizes. associated together as a unit, and grouped around a common center.

13, A cutter for a food chopper, having a plurality 4of sets of diagonal cutter openings, the sets arralged around a common center.

14. A food chopper, having a body, and a support for a cutter, in combination with a plurality of cutters of different sizes, associated together, and grouped around a com mon center.

15. A food chopper, having a bodywith a cylindrical opening and supports for a cutter, -in combination with a plurality'of cutters of diferent fixes grouped around a common center, and combined in one strueture.

16. A food chopper, having a central opening, and supports for a cutter, in combination wiwh a unitary cutter comprising different arrangements of cutting edges, located around a. common center.

17. A food cho per, having a body, a forcer within the b dy, and a removable cutter having a central opening forming a bearing for the fol cer, guides carried -by the body, said tdes and forcer acting to secure the cutter in posit on.

18. A food chopper, having a body with a central opening, a cutter sup ort on each side of the openin g, and a thir support below the openlng, in combination with a. cutter having three elements, of substantially the same outside diameter, united to form a 95 unitary structure with axes at substantially 120 apart.

19. A food chopper, ter carried by the body ity of sets of cutter openings, theA sets 100 grouped around a common center, and means for preventing the cutter fromy being rotated.

20. In a food ciopper, a body, a cutter at one end, a forcer inserted in the body at the .105 other end, and separate reeiprocatory adjusting means ful crumed at the other end.

21. A food chopper having a body with spiralforcing threads, and a spoilt communicatin first three there beinV or more of the 1hr-ea s flow to the spoul 22. A food chopper, having a, body and a. forcer, a` bearing on theforoer, a. lever piv- 115 oted to the body engaging with the bearing, and means for applying pressure upon the lever.

23. A food c h upper, having a body and a. forcer, a bearingl on the forcer, a lever haw 120 ing a slot, and i. forked end, a headed pin on the body pas ang through the slot, and a body with a having a body, a cutland having a plurala limber hole in one to permit juices to f screw on the lev er ooactingwith the body to with the body in advance of the hnation with a (futter maintained within heal'inv hein(r enffa edb the forked end 0f l" D D the supports on the bearing. and having a the lever. 10 central opening in "line with the center of This smcifcaton Signed and witnessed the body opening, a forcer, one extremity 0f this 30th day of April, 1914.

` 5 which engages vwith the opening in the cut- HENRY PRICE BALL.

tex'` a flange adjacent tothe other extljemi'ty Y\'Vitnesses: of 4the body, and a bearing surrounding the H. B. DAVERIN,

foreer and engaging with the ange, said M. J. REYNOLDS. 

